Fortnightly Compilation #1

Well, we have reached quite a milestone here at yoursonglist. Two weeks in operation, and we are yet to give up due to a lack of listing. Here is the first ever yoursonglist fortnightly compilation, made up of the listed songs from the last 2 weeks. Post your list now and get your beloved/hated songs on the next compilation.

Warning: may contain Bon Jovi and Lynard Skynard....

Tracks1. Charlie Darwin (2009) - The Low Anthem - 10 Songs That Are So Sexy They Make Me Consider Some Serious Man Loving (Listmaster Flash)2. Everyday Should Be A Holiday (1997) - The Dandy Warhols - 10 Songs From My Childhood Which Prove I Was A Pretty Cool Kid (Listmaster Flash)3. In Our Gun (2002) - Gomez - 10 Songs Which Make Me Believe That Owning A Firearm Would Make Me Thrice The Person I Currently Am (nickjameslangley)4. I See A Darkness (1999) - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - 10 Songs Written By Men With Impressive Beards (Listmaster Flash)5. Buy Me A Pony (1996) - Spiderbait - 10 Songs From My Childhood Which Prove I Was A Pretty Cool Kid (Listmaster Flash)6. By The Time I Get To Arizona (1991) - Public Enemy - 10 Rap Tracks Which Are Guaranteed To Make Me Throw My Hands In The Air Like I Just Don't Care (Listmaster Flash)7. Livin' On A Prayer (1986) - Bon Jovi - 10 Songs That Wouldn't Result In Beer Spat In The General Direction Of The Bartender's Face When Played At A Pub, But Which I Otherwise Despise (nickjameslangley)8. Borrowed Your Gun (2008) - Spiritualized - 10 Songs Which Make Me Believe That Owning A Firearm Would Make Me Thrice The Person I Currently Am (nickjameslangley)9. Well, It's True That We Love One Another (2001) - The White Stripes - 10 Awful Songs By Great Bands (icemanflam)10. Everybody Here Wants You (1998) - Jeff Buckley - 10 Songs That Are So Sexy They Make Me Consider Some Serious Man Loving (Listmaster Flash)11. Excursions (1991) - A Tribe Called Quest - 10 Rap Tracks Which Are Guaranteed To Make Me Throw My Hands In The Air Like I Just Don't Care (Listmaster Flash)12. Sweet Home Alabama (1974) - Lynard Skynard - 10 Songs That Wouldn't Result In Beer Spat In The General Direction Of The Bartender's Face When Played At A Pub, But Which I Otherwise Despise (nickjameslangley)13. Steam Engine (2003) - My Morning Jacket - 10 Songs Written By Men With Impressive Beards (Listmaster Flash)

Ten Songs From My Childhood Which Prove That I Was A Pretty Cool Kid

by Listmaster Flash

I'm going to put it out there. I was a pretty awesome kid. That is if you cancel out the fact that I was at one point quite fat, had dyed orange hair, and wore fake 'Dada' branded clothing purchased from Sydney's Parklea Markets (ok maybe I wasn't actually that cool). Thanks to incredible Australian music programs such as the ABC's now extinct Recovery, and late night Rage, I was exposed to a plethora of excellent music at a very early age. Here is a list of songs in no specific order, that prove that the one thing I had going for me as an 8 year old was a decent music taste.

1. Dance In Chicago - Mach Pelican

Australia's favourite Japanese import, the now defunct Mach Pelican allowed me to release my inner punk. The hilarious mispronunciations ("Everybody wanna dance siskaygo") and non-sensical lyrics within this song make it even more enjoyable.

2. Sherry Fraser - Marcy Playground

A few years ago I bought Marcy Playground's self titled album, mainly due to my memories of their hit song Sex and Candy. Not only did I discover an excellent album, but I rediscovered a childhood favourite which I had completely forgotten about. I used to have the video for Sherry Fraser taped on VHS from a late night rage playlist, and would watch it over and over. It is still just as beautiful to me now as it was then.

3. Shake Your Booty - Public Enemy

Public Enemy's performance (which I have not seen since) on Recovery was the triggering point of my deep relationship with them. While this song is undoubtedly quite out of character for PE, as an 8 year old kid I had never seen anything like it, especially with a man with a giant clock rolling around on the ground. Embarrassing side note, I also cried as an 8 year old kid when my mum would not let me buy the single for this track.

4. Black Bugs - Regurgitator

Another discovery made through Recovery, this song introduced me to a range of awesome Regurgitator material, and also to the awesomeness of the keytar.

5. Buy Me A Pony - Spiderbait

Catering to my short attention span as a child, Spiderbait pumped out song after song that was extremely short and catchy. Buy Me A Pony is the epitome of that; 1 minute and 45 seconds of straight out rock.

6. Hitchin' A Ride - Green Day

The first single I ever purchased, this is reminder of when this band was actually any good. I don't know if I ever felt as rebellious as when I would join in screaming "my tongue is swelling up I say shiiiiiitttttt!"

7. Whatareya? - TISM

By now you are maybe questioning why my parents let me listen to this stuff, and if you weren't, now you definitely will be. TISM is perhaps the last band a kid should be listening to, but it was hard not to find these masked musicians utterly hilarious, especially with songs like this.

8. Everyday Should Be A Holiday - The Dandy Warhols

I was out the other night and this song got played, bringing back memories of the splendid performance on Recovery that made me love it so much. And you are right Dandy Warhols, it would be very nice if everyday was a holiday.

9.The Day You Come - Powderfinger

While the quality of Powderfinger's recent music can easily be criticised, tracks like this can't. This childhood favourite is proof that average bands still can make wonderful tracks.

10. Don't You Know Who I Am - Happyland

Combining two of my favourite childhood bands into one supergroup? Yes Please! While their career was very short lived, Quan (Regurgitator) and Janet (Spiderbait) wrote a few great poppy songs, this being by far the best. Happyland's utilisation of animal suits made them seem even cooler to me as a kid.

yoursongplayer

10 Songs That Are So Sexy They Make Me Consider Some Serious Man Loving

by Listmaster Flash

10. Charlie Darwin - The Low Anthem

I only heard this band and song for the first time this week, and it has already made a top 10 list. Lead singer Ben Knox Miller's mesmerising falsetto acts sort of like a siren's call to me here. I am slowly drawn in, and then captured by his sexy manliness.

9. Thirteen - Elliot Smith

Mmm a tough area, dead man love. Elliot's beautiful delivery of this Big Star classic makes the fact that he wasn't a very attractive man completely irrelevant.

8. Arms Of A Woman - Amos Lee

Amos' soulful voice is the key wooing factor here. It makes me ignore the context of the song (I'm pretty sure it's about his mum), and just imagine that he is singing about me (this makes even less sense in the context of the song).

7. Lets Get It On - Marvin Gaye

No sexy song list would be complete with out this track. If for some reason you haven't heard it, have a listen below and it will do all the explaining for you.

6. Thin Air - Pearl Jam

Ah Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder, my main high school man crushes. The year 2000 was Eddie at his best and sexiest, no matter what all the die-hard Pearl Jam fans say. The good 3000 times I have listened to this song have made this an all time favourite.

5. Tyrone - My Morning Jacket

Another cover sung by a man who arguably isn't very appealing to the ladies. Despite Erykah Badu's original being a slap in the face to all men, this has a way of seeming so damn sexy.

4. Into My Arms - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Do not want to ruin my all time songs list which will eventually feature on this blog, but this is a frontrunner for number 1. Nick Cave's simple but beautiful song writing here is something that is hard to resist by members of either sex.

3. Debra - Beck

I'm pretty sure this song is a joke upon Beck's behalf. Especially with lyrics such as:

"Like a fruit that's ripe for the picking'

I wouldn't do you like that

Zankou Chicken"

But really, when it comes down to it, the sexy bass lines, horns and falsetto make this one damn near irresistible.

2. If You Ever Need a Stranger (to Sing at Your Wedding) - Jens Lekman

Jens is not only largely responsible for my long relationship I have with my girlfriend, but also for a very long term man crush. I could pick any Jens song, and get a serious craving for man love out of it.

1. Everybody Here Wants You - Jeff Buckley

This is the sexiest song ever. No questions asked. Jeff's heavenly voice, mixed with the proven sexy formula of slow drums, and some heavy bass, works every time. I am slowly removing my clothes even thinking about it.

yoursongplayer

10 Songs That Wouldn't Result In Beer Spat In The General Direction Of The Bartender's Face When Played At A Pub, But Which I Otherwise Despise

by nickjameslangley

In alphabetical order by artist:

1. Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer
I think if the mist was going to be sprayed at any point during the song, it'd be at the climatic key change toward the end of the song. Fortunately I will have the ability to compose myself, knock down the rest of the beer and nail it with him. Fitting terminology given the attached picture.
2. Bryan Adams - Summer of '69

Just to clear things up, yes, I will endeavour to continue this developing trend of homosexually suggestive images. Now on to the song. As soon as I hear the infamous intro in the company of myself, I will shudder horrendously. Often my convulsions are mistaken for an epileptic fit. When I hear the timeless classic intro riff in a pub I will most likely jump on top of the bar and air guitar along. Often the adoring audience mistake my tomfoolery for the real thing.
3. Choir Boys - Run To Paradise

Mmm...look at those outstretched arms. Yumm-O. I'm fairly sure the only places that are actually legally permitted to play this track are pubs, RSLs and WSFM (101.7. Good Times, Great Classic Hits). There is an abundance of sound reasoning behind this apparent legislation - which I am of course not going to go into - but nevertheless, it will stir me into a frenzy as soon as the pub capitalises on its exclusive right to spin this track.

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4. Cold Chisel - Khe Sahn
There's no doubting about the homosexuality of this picture. Look at the phallic object the two main members are so intent on getting their mouths around. Ever been to an Australian gig where Khe Sahn is requested? Of course you have. Every Australian tour show ever involves the mentioning of that song. Notice how they're almost always in Pubs. That is no coincidence. This song has pub classic written all over it. I have not got a clue as to why people like the track.

5. Don Mclean - American Pie
This song is too long for me to sit through and enjoy at home. Granted I do enjoy long songs when done well, but this just drags on, and on. It's painful. Somehow, it makes any pub night exponentially better. Hearing all 41 verses belted out by a jubilant crowd is something that words cannot truly depict.

6. Dragon - April Sun In Cuba
What a cracking song. Everybody knows it. Nobody would actually admit to owning a copy of it though. Cue: Pub Classic.

7. Guns N' Roses - Entire Discography
I hate Guns N' Roses. However, in the right environment (a pub) and with the right conditions (after the consumption of beer) time and time again I will find myself singing along to such memorable tracks as Welcome To the Jungle, November Rain and god forbid - Sweet Child O' Mine. It's almost shameful. Almost.

8. Hunters and Collectors - Holy Grail

Ever since this song was played during every AFL related broadcast for 3 or 4 years, it has been a strictly pub-only track. During pub visits, this track really is the Holy Grail of pub tracks. Stop it, you're being too clever.
9. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
This song is an instant floor filler at a pub. The fact that they are confederate loving hicks doesn't seem to offend people too much. This song is an instant bogan magnet anywhere else that you might hear this song. Excuse the derogatory comments in this review, but I feel as thought it's necessary to accurately convey my opinion.
10. Steve Earle - Copperhead Road

Keeping the theme as southern and country as possible; this song is terrible.
I'd say this is an exception to the subject of this list. I would definitely spit beer in the bartender's face if this came on at a pub. Needless to say it doesn't go down well outside the pub. A fitting end note.

yoursongplayer

Top 10 Awful Songs By Great Bands

by icemanflam

10. Lake Song/New Ceremonial Music for Moms - Akron/Family
I have nothing against the Lake song section of this track however the second half of this song is simply horrible...The most annoying part about it is that almost every time I tune out and when I realise I have spent the past 2 minutes listening to tribal women scream its too late... Being experimental is cool and all, but there’s a limit.

9. It's True That We Love One Another - The White Stripes

I don't care how successful you are as a band; I am not wasting my time listening to this shit.

8. Women Eye "No" - WHY?

Most people would think I view Why? as infallible...Most people are wrong, this song is filth...Look up the lyrics for proof. I expect better from you Mr Wolf.

7. Clap Your Hands! - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Possibly to worst start to an album ever...If I was a less patient man I would have stopped half way through that song and never listened to them again.

6. BTTLS - Battles

I don't care how many times people tell me this is a good song...I don't really feel like wasting almost 13 minutes of my life listening to random sounds.

5. Sufjan Stevens - Enjoy Your Rabbit (album)
I got the impression while listening to this album that Sufjan thought he could do anything and anyone would eat it up...I may give this album another chance, but not anytime soon.

4. The Mars Volta - Post Amputechture
I may have cheated with the last number and I will again with this one...The Mars Volta were my favourite band, I was actually in love with them (it was weird) and now they can do nothing but disappoint me :-(

3. Visiting Friends - Animal Collective
Another example of when a band think they are expressing their creativeness when they are actually just making inaudible sounds for 10 minutes plus...I will never understand why bands feel the need to do this!

2. All Together Now - The Beatles
Nuff said.

1. Fitter Happier - Radiohead

This song is nothing more than a blemish on a great album. Fuck you Fitter Happier, you ruined so much!

yoursongplayer

Top 10 Songs Written By Men With Impressive Beards

by Listmaster Flash

I have recently been a strong believer in the theory that men with beards have the best voices, and write the greatest songs. Here is a list of my current top 10 favourites written by men with more than impressive facial hair.

10. Second Chance - Liam Finn

This bearded Kiwi really knows his way around a guitar, looping station and drum kit. He also has a very nice beard. This track builds up from some catchy poppy guitar and vocals, to an all out looped chaos, with Liam more or less destroying his drum kit in live performances of this track.

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9. Passing Afternoon - Iron & Wine

Wow what a beard. No wonder this song is so good. Beautiful lyrics and an excellent melody, this song could easily make a 'top 10 album closers' list.

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8. Raining In Darling - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

Mmmm yes while his beard makes him look scarier than your average indie singer, Will Oldham is one of the most amazing song writers I have discovered recently. Another contender for the 'top 10 album closers' list, this is also perhaps the best song ever to ever fall under the 2 minute mark.

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7. Golden - My Morning Jacket

My beloved band of recent times, Jim James has always (until recently) showcased a beautiful beard. I could have filled this whole list with Jim James written tracks, he is really that amazing. Golden features two characteristics of a great song: lap steel and falsetto, and when this is combined with excellent song writing a true masterpiece occurs.

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6. The Seed - Cody Chesnutt

Cody has a way for making obscene lyrics sound really normal and really sweet. For example:

'I push my seed in her push for life

It's gonna work because I'm pushin' it right

If Mary drops my baby girl tonight

I would name her Rock-N-Roll.'

Perhaps it's his charming beard that allows him to pull it off. Whatever it is, here he has created one of my ultimate pop tunes.

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5. You're The One - The Black Keys

Dan Auerbach's decision to really go all out with the beard growth clearly had a positive effect, with great songs like this being created. This song effectively shows bearded men's softer sensitive side. Could you resist a bearded man like this singing "you're the one"? That's what I thought.

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4. Maybe You're Right - Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam)

While the religion of Islam has pushed Yusuf's beard to amazing levels of greatness, his Cat Stevens days are perhaps where the beard created the most magic. Maybe You're Right is one of those all time classic songs, that just has some unique quality (beard?) about it that will preserve it in musical history forever.

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3. For Emma - Bon Iver

A group who perhaps deserves more mentions in this list, due to their serious beard-growing skills and Justin Vernon's amazing song-writing qualities, Bon Iver comes in at a deserved number 3. This beautiful track is best enjoyed in acapella form (see youtube link).

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2. Steam Engine - My Morning Jacket

Yes yes, an artist being included twice. But they deserve it! James' beard is in full effect here, creating a climatic affair including more falsetto, and just more overall greatness. I grew a beard hoping that I would be able to write a song like this, but it didn't work....musn't have been long enough.

1. I See A Darkness - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

Oldham's second track in the list is a guaranteed entry into my 'top songs of all time' list, and also proof of the sheer song-writing capabilities of bearded men. Chilling, haunting, beautiful... this song could be described in so many words, but is rather something that needs to be experienced individually. If you don't own the album 'I See A Darkness' (1999), get that and go from there.

10 Rap Tracks Which Are Guaranteed To Make Me Throw My Hands In The Air Like I Just Don't Care

by Listmaster Flash

These are the 10 songs that no matter my present situation, force me into some form of hip-hop dancing. Whether that be an out of control chest pump, or an attempted head-spin all depends on the song and my current mood.

10. Rock The Bells - LL Cool J

From the second that first line of "LL Cool J is hard as hell" kicks in, I envision myself in a break dance circle in early 1980's New York, decked in Puma Clydes, bell bottom jeans and a bomber jacket. LL's killer rhymes coupled with the bass heavy beat provide you with that brief moment of belief that you are indeed a member of a break dancing crew.

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9. D. Original - Jeru the Damaja

The 'Original Dirty Rotten Scoundrel' Jeru the Damaja, and his DJ Premier produced beats induce an out of control head bop and hand wave. Jeru's flow is incredible, and when combined with Premier's abstract beats, the result is a completely unique and contagious hip hop experience. If you don't possess the album 'The Sun Rises in The East', make it your daily task to do so.

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8. Me Myself and I - De La Soul

Not only does this song make me want to break into the robot, but the video makes me wish that I could also sport a slanting flat top. The Funkadelic sample can perhaps be credited with why this song is so damn funky and addictive.

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7. The Next Episode - Dr. Dre

Some hip-hop purists may disagree with this inclusion, but the combination of Snoop, Dre, Nate Dogg and a dope beat is a winning one, guaranteed to induce an attempted 'crip walk'.

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6. What's Golden - Jurassic 5

I can't really think of any thing this song does wrong. An organ driven beat, Public Enemy samples, and some immaculate rhymes shared between the four mc's is a successful formula. R.I.P J5.

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5. Shake Your Rump - Beastie Boys

"'Is your name Michael Diamond?' No mines Clarence". Not only does this track has one of my favourite lines ever, but it also makes me do exactly what the title says and shake my rump. And to add to that, the end of the track provides a rare opportunity to scream "hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooe" at the top of your lungs and not get slapped for it.

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4. Excursions - A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest are just so cool, that's all I think about when I hear this track. Some cool double bass, some cool horns and some damn cool lyrics lead to me doing some pretty cool (in my eyes) dancing.

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3. Ain't Nothin' Ta Fuck Wit - Wu-Tang Clan

RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, ODB, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa and Cappadona, thank you so much for creating a track which makes me feel that I have a huge posse following me everywhere I go. The second the beat kicks in both my arms shoot into the air and do a double arm bounce (think 8-mile but with both arms). However this is not very safe while driving....

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2. Hip-hop - Dead Prez

Another car driving favourite. The second this comes on my radio, my shitty $300 car suddenly has hydraulics and I am bouncing uncontrollably and rhyming "Who shot Biggie Smalls if we don't get em they gonna get us all, I'm down for runnin' up on them crackers in they city hall."

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1. By The Time I Get To Arizona - Public Enemy

No artist has had more of an impact on my life that Public Enemy. From the first time I saw them on Australian music program 'Recovery' as an 8 year old, to the time I rebelliously threw my middle finger up at their concert as a 13 year old, they are one of the loves of my life. This track's distored bass and guitar melody, gospel choir loops, riot screams, dense drum tracks and Chuck's furious rhyming creates a chaotic but contagious track which is ideal for waving your hands, fists, middle fingers or whatever tickles you fancy from side to side.

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10 Songs Which Make Me Believe That Owning A Firearm Would Make Me Thrice The Person I Currently Am

by nickjameslangley

In no particular Order:

1. In Our Gun - Gomez

It's fairly clear to me that the reason "sore throat man" of Gomez has his vocal tone is due to him owning a firearm. This is yet to be verified by any organisation more pre-eminent than my vivid imagination.

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2. Machine Gun - Jimi Hendrix

Not only did James Marshall Hendrix actually serve in the army - therefore gracing him with super human abilities - but he felt the need to desert his nation's armed forces to put his super powers to better use. I wasn't at the live recording of "Band of Gypsys", but I'm sure if I had been, and my eyes were closed, and I was on the same concoction of hallucinogens that Jimi was on, I probably would've believed he was wielding a gun during this song.

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3. War Begun - My Morning Jacket

The live renditions of this song in particular give me confidence that there are many often unmentioned positives to war. Let me think of one off the top of my head. Without wars, there'd be a serious drop in awesome songs of the past and present. For this reason, I condone gun-wielders in the war, but those pricks on ships can rack right off.

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4. Big Man With A Gun - Nine Inch Nails

The closer that I can get to becoming Trent Reznor, the better. I'd like to think that the Big Man With A Gun is him. He seems pretty happy about it in the song...well, from what I can gather amongst the fuzz and noise. Score one (1) for Weaponry.

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5. Bop Gun (Endangered Species) - Parliament

Owning a firearm is not all about blood and guts. These guys seem perfectly gay and jolly singing about their bop guns. I'm sure that through their ridiculous wigs, obscene clothing and outrageous props, they are fully aware of the responsibility required to own and maintain a weapon.

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6. Machine Gun - Portishead

It's not a cover! Let's just get that straight. If I could have any sort of sign that machine guns - or hand guns for that matter - allow me to produce music like Portishead, I'm ordering no fewer than one from a shady online dealer in Mexico. This song, like Hendrix's, tries to recreate the piercing thud of rounds being fired. It gets my senses tingling.

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7. Guns. Guns...Guns - Portugal. The Man.

It's clear to me that these guys are proficient with punctuation. It doesn't take a genius to decipher that much. But is it a coincidence that this mob hail from Alaska? And that Alaskans are renowned alcoholics? And there is a direct correlation between alcoholism and membership in the National Rifle Association (NRA) in American states? That's what I thought.

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8. Guns of Memorial Park - Sparta

Okay. So they're just an undercooked and less heralded At The Drive-In. Let's not go making rash claims that firearms caused this. Jim Ward still enjoys rocking out. I'm willing to bet he's shot a can or two in his time.

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9. Borrowed Your Gun - Spiritualized

Jason Pierce is so badarse (ass for all the Americans reading, of which I'm positive there are many.) he doesn't feel the need to even OWN a gun, he just borrows his father's. That is the kind of constraint I hope to exercise should I ever act on my relentless urge to deal with the aforementioned Shady Mexican.

10. Me & A Gun - Tori Amos

Ah, ending with an A Capella track. A classy touch, me. While I could make completely inappropriate comments about how a gun potentially enables me to rape American singer/songwriters, I will counter that point. If Tori Amos had a weapon on her, she would've been in a far better position than she sings about in her song about her scarring ordeal with a rapist. She brought a bunch of pathetic slaps to a gun fight. Had she bought an automatic rifle, there would have been no rape.

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